Pneumatic dispatch apparatus



March 31, 1925- W. H. DINSPEL PNEUMATI C DI S PATCH APPARATUS Filed May ,v 2

' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY March 31; 1925- W. H. DINSPEL PNEUMATIC DISPATCH APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fil ed May 2 2 IN VEN TOR W/lL/AM 0/ /VSPL A TTORNEY March 31, 1925- w. H. DINSPELI PNEUMATIC DI SPATCH APPARATUS Fi led May 1922 IfiSheots-Sheet 5 'INVENTOR lV/u MM 1/. Dl/KSPEL ururso sfmrss PATENT 'Wl'LLIAIvE HENRY DIN SPEL, GTE "Z'SZ LW' YQRK, N. Y ASSIGNOR "3G ATLAS DEVICES:

' COMPANY, Illfii, A CQBIPQRATIGN OF NEW YORK.

'rnnu M A'EPIC Eli-$1 5330 APPABATUS.

-' Application filed Hay 20, 3 22. Serial Ho. 582,447.

To al whom it mag comer Be it known that l, VJILLZAM H. Dmsrnr, of the United States, residing s4; York city, in the county of New York sic of New York, have invented cerisiu and useful "improvements in Pneumatic lcli Apparatus; and I do hereby lcchi-Re the following to be full, clear, and description of the invention, such as noble others skilled in the art-to which it upper-ruins to make and use the some.

invention relules to pneumatic (lisbe systems, and has reference more .3 to control or power saving (is 'ir controlling and regulating the flow lhrourzh the tube lines of the system llie lines are empty that is unocsees, and when carriers are sit. ihrough the lines.

venion involves lheprovision oi ell. sir control unrl regulating (lee iyne which is set forth in the upof llinspel and Vfeigele filed An- 11, 1920, Serial No. 403.01, which has matured in Psteni; l lo. 1,470,60lh grunb erl llctol er 16,, The device may be employed in conjunction with pressure systems; so called. in which carriers are propelled through i'he tube line by means of a blast or current of air under pressure, us well as vacuum systems. For the purpose of illustration, the construction and. operation oi the device will be described in connection with pneumatic dispatch systems operating 35 on the vacuum principle whereinv the tube lines are open and a partial How of air is normal: maintained through the line.

in accordance with the invention, there is it'ovililcsl'a. valve situated in the tube line of pneumatic dispatch system which is normal-- maintained. open to permit a partial flow 2* l'hrourzh the line when unoccupied by r rs. The valve mechanism, us in the sire of the earlier application referral to includes means which is operable by oh- .iruction of the partial air flow in the line, as when a carrier is inserted in the bell mouth entrance of the line, to increase the opening cfthe valve and correspondingly the flow of sir to propel carriers through the line. In lhe preferred form of control and regulating device. illustrated and described in the ubovc specified spplicationglhe partial fiow of sir normally maintained through the line, 111- In M.

'msinl drum, the partial or fractional flow is maintained through c by-puss enli piloiiirle, which in turn is connected to she sucuon orum and the sire in the lube line is lihcrefore normally closed when a tube line is unoccupied. Upon insertion of a, carrier in the line, the valve actuating mechanism open ales so open the valve, establishing rlirece comnmnication between the transit line or rather the suction tube, and the suction drum and the increased air flow to propel the carrier passes directly from the transit line urul. the suction tube to the drum.

in the device constituting the presentinvention, the lay-pass and pilot line, ihrough which the partial or fractional flow of air in the earlier form of device is normally inecl, is entirely eliminated by the provision. of means, preferably uojusisblc, such as set screw, which may be sciv so as to prevent. the valve in. the tube line from on lirely shuti-inc' communication between the suction cube and the suction clrurn. Such meansnmy be adjusted so as to normally hold. the valve oil its seat a greater or less amount, dependent upon. the amount of pertiul. or fractional air flow which it is desircd to maintain. In this way u partial or fractional flow of air normally maintained directly through the tube line to the suction. drum Without a by-pass or shunt, line. This results in simplification and circa-planing of construction, and in the advantage that the noise caused by air Ulrictiou. through the bypass or shunt line. is eliminated, and

greater efficiency of operation of the device and of the system a whole has been ob mined in actual practice.

Preferably the mechanism for actuating thevalvc in the tube line consists of a diuphrugm which is opcrutively connected thereto, the means for normally holding The valve unsealed being constructed and arranged. to prevent the diaphragm from. en tirclv closing the valve, As in the earlier valve construction set specified application, the diaphragm is corn structcll uml arrunqcll to respond to variations in prcssm'o in the lube line, or more specifically lhe suction tube in which the device is customarily located, and the dim forth lll tllli above 7 phragm moves valve toward and away from its seat in accordance with the pressure conditions in. the line, usually operating upon a reduction in pressure in the line to open or to increase the.opening ofthe valve, and upon an increase in pressure to close the valve. V i

In the specific form of construction hereinafter described, the resent device like the earlier form, has a va ve situated in the line with which a main diaphragm, mounted in a casing is operatively connected, and there is provided an auxiliary diaphra m associated with the main diaphragm an a regulator associated with the auxiliary diaphragm, having a blade or vane situated in the tube line, and which operates at a predetermined rate of flow of air, or amount of kinetic energy of the moving air column to control the action both of the auxiliary and main diaphragms to open and close the main valve. The means for normally preventing the main diaphragm from completely seating the valve consists of a. set screw projccting through the main diaphragm casing and providing an abutment for the means,

such as a connecting rod, operatively connecting the main diaphragm and valve. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Wliich- F'g. 1 is a perspective view of the suction end of a tube line,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the construction of the valve mechanism making up the control and regulating device,

Fig. 3 is a sectional View showing the connection between the transit line and suction tube,

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the valve mechanism similar to Fig. 2, but showing the valve in its normally open position, permitting a partial or fractional fiow of air through the tube line, v

Fig. 5 is a top View of the valve and diaphragm casings showing a portion of the mechanism enclosed therein,

Fig. 6 is an end view of the valve and diaphragmcasings'illustrated in Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the upper part of the diaphragm casiig.

The pneumatic dispatch system has a-/plu-v .rality of tube lines consisting of transit lines, each made up of an outgoing or send- .ing tube 7, as from the central station, provided with an open bell mouth 8 and a return tube 9 discharging through a flap or hinged door 10 into a terminal 11, the tube lines 7 and 9 being connected at the out station by; a connection similar to the'con nection 11 joining the tube 9 with a suction ,tube 12 to form a continuous line, as is usual. Atthe outstation there is a flap or door similar to the door 10 for sending carricrs, dispatched through the tube 7, back to the central station through the tube 9,"

I lower The tube line comprising the sending an receiv ng tubes is connected through the suction tube 12 with a suction drum 13, the

tube 12$being provided with a screen hous-' 'ing14. Situated in the tube 12, and interthe preferred form. of valve and regulator mechanism illustrated and described in the earlier application filed by me jointly with Edmund lVeigele on August 12, 1920, Serial No. 403,017 above noted now Patent No.-

1,470,600, ranted October 16, 1923, reference may chad to this application for a complete description of the details of construction and operation.

For the purpose of describing the inven- .tion of this application, it will suffice to say that the device consists of a globe valve casing 15, integral with .a diaphragm casing 16, situatedin the suction tube 12 in which the main operating parts of the mechanism are housed, an auxiliary valve casing 17 communicating with the suction tube through a connection 18, and a regulator 19. The

globe valve casing 15 has a port or opening 20 in a plane at right angles to the suction tube through which air flows from the tran sit line to the suction drum. .The air flow through the line is controlled by a main valve 21 which, in Fig. 2, is shown in the open position to permit a substantial flow of air throughthe line for the propulsion of carriers, and in Fig. 4, is shown in its normally slightly open position to permit a partial or fractional flow of airthrough the line as when the line is unoccupied by car riers.. This valve 21 is operatively connected to a main diaphragm 22 by means of a connecting rod 23. the latter being threaded at both ends to receive the valve and the central portion 22 of the diaphragm, and sliding on a rod 24 held ,in a boss or hear ing 25. The boss 25 forms Jpartof a cover plate 26 which closes one side of the globe valve casing and forms an abutment for a coil spring 27 between llllS plate and the valve 21 which is normally under tension urging the valve to its seated position. The

diaphragm 22 is mounted in the casing 16 which is in communication through ports 28 on one side of the diaphragm 22with -the art of the suction tube Y12 and is adapte to'he put in Communication with the atmosphere through a port 29 on the other side of the diaphragm. The two chambers lfi 'and, 16 into which the diaphragm casing 16 is divided by the dia phragm 22 are in communication through v a bypass 30 .(Fig. 72 and port 31, the extent of opening of w lich is controlled by a scr w needle valve 32. The port 29, or rather the port 33 in the plug 34, through which the port 29 opens to the atmosphere, is opened and closed by means of a. valve 35. "*2 mlve 35 is connected to an auxiliary diaphragm 36 mounted in the auxiliary valve casing 17, the latter living entirely open to the atmosphere on its lower side through ports 37 on one side of the diaphragm, and communicating on the other .ide ot' the diaphragm with tlie suction tube 12 through the passageway 38 and connection 18. The connection 18 is provided with a. needle valve for changing the size of the opening of the passageway 40 in the connection 18. On the upper side of the connection 18 is a port ll normally closed by a valve The valve. 42 is mounted on the end of a. lever 43 pivoted at 4% between its ends. and mounted on the opposite end of the lever 15 a blade or vane 45 situated in the suceion tube.

' screw forms an abutment for the end of the small amount of valve opening is normally.

maintained to permit a partial or fractional flow of air from the transit line to the sue lien drum directlythrough the tube when line unoccupied by carriers.

The operation will he hriefiy reviewed although tnis is fully described in the pend-.

ing application already referred to. ll'ith no carriers in the llllllO line, the valve 21 and associated parts and operating inechanisms are in the position illustrated in Fig. at. The small opening of the valve permits a partial or fractional low of air through the line. When a carrier is inserted, tlnfree flow of air through the line, under the action of the suction means, is ohstructed. and the pressure of the air column between the carrier and the suction drum is quicxly reduced or, in other words, the suction or partial vacuum is increased. This reduced pressure, or increased partial vacuum. also occurs in the upper, part of the auxiliary valve casing 17 above, the auxiliary diaphragm 36 by virtue of the connection of the valve casing with the suction tulle through the passageway 38 and the passageway ll) in the connection 18. The reduction in pressure or partial vacuum which forms above the diaphragm 36, and the atmospheric pressure through ports '37 existing beneath the diaphragm, causes the latter to rise, occupying the position shown in Fig;

2, and alsothe'valv 35 uncovering the ports 33 and 29. Atmospheric air is thus admitted into the uiaindiaphragm casing 16in the chamber 16' on one side of the main diaphragm 22. Atmospheric pressure on this side of thediaphragm with the reducedpressure existing on the other side of the] diaphragm, by reason of communication of the chamber 16 with the suction tube, results in an unbalanced pressure, forcing .the diaphragm to the left (Fig. 2) and in-" creasing the opening of the valve 21" against the pressure of the spring 27. This places the transit tube in more or less full cbmmw.

nication with the suction drum increasing the suction, the flow of air into the inlet end of the line, and thus the ditl'erence in pressure be'tu'een the ,air columns on both sides of the CZ11l1Ql',\Wl110l1 then furnishes the propelling force to propel the carrier throi'lglrthc line. The full pressure acts to propel the carrier along up-grade or hori: zoutul stretches of the tube line in the case of long lines. Vhen the carrier is travelling through a short line, or strikes a descendiug grade in a'. long tube line, however, the speed of the carrier immediately increases to a great extent because of the addition of the force of gravity or the excessive suction in a short llne. As soon as the speed of the carrier increases, the rate, i

of flow of the air column in front of the carrier, propelled by the piston action of the carrier, also increases to such an extent that it will exert a'force, due to its kinetic energy, on the blade or'vane 45' suilicient to depress the lever -13 to the dotted position indicated in Fig.' 2 thus raising the valve 42 oil' its seat and opening the port. 41. Atmospheric air rushes through the port 41 and into the upper part. of the aukiliary I diaphragm casing'l? balancing the pressure in this casing, whereupon the Weight of the valve 35 will cause it to again scat closing the port 33. The; air confined in the. chamber 16" of the diaphragm casing 16 then exhausts through the passageway 30 into the opposite chamber 16* on'tlle other side of the diaphragm, and the valve 21,

under the combined action of the spring 27 tending to seat the valve, and the continued suction on both sides of the diaphragm through ports 28., gradually moves to the right and comes to rest in the slightly open position when the end of the connecting rod 93 abuts against the end of the adjusting screw 46. In this position, the valve is sliglily open an amount depending. upon the adjustment of the screw 46 and the valve norin'ally remains in this position, when the lineis unoccupied by carriers, to normally maintain a partial or fractional flow of air through the line compared to the full flow which the suction means is capable of pro ducing through the line with a full open valve setting.

I have described above the operation of the blade or vanef resulting from the increase in the rate of flow of the air column in front of the carrier, which is brought about by increase in speed of the carrier. Of course, a similar increase in the rate of air flow takes place the instant the carrier is delivered from the line, at which time there is nothing to obstruct the flow of air. And this increase in the rate of air flow resulting from the delivery of a carrier operates through itskinetic energy on the blade or fan 45 in the manner above described to restore the main valve to its normal slightly open position, where it remains until the next carrier is inserted.

I claim:

1. In a pneumatic dispatch system, a tube line, a valve situated in the tube line, means for holding the valve in a normally open position to secure a partial flow of air throu h the line, mechanism for controlling t e o eration of the valve, and

means, operab e, upon insertion of a car- "rier in the line, to actuate said valve contransit line including a suctio tube, a nor forcontmlling the flow air through the 'trolliiig mechanism to increase the flow of air into the inlet end of the tube line to "pro cl the carrier, substantially as descri *In apneumatic dispatch system, a timzsrtline, a suction tube, a-v'alve situated in the suction tube, adjustable means for holding the valve in a normally open poranged to be actuated by an increase in the amount of suction in the line for opening the valve, and a device which is actuated independently of the suction in the line for arranged to be actuated by an increase in the amount of suction in the line for opening the valve, and a device, including a blade or vane situated in the suction tube, which is responsive to the movement-of air in the line for causing said valve actuating means to operate to partly close the valve when the speed of a carrier in the line hecomes excessive, substantially as described.

sition, mechanism for. operating the valve,

and means, operable upon insertion of a carrier in the line, to control said mechanism whereby to increase the opening of the valve, substantiallyas described.

3. In a pneumatic dispatch system, a tube line, a valve situated in the tube line which is'normally open to secure a partial flow of. air through the line, means responsive to the pressure in the line for operating the valve, and a device responsive to the movement of air in the line for controlling tlie o eration of said valve operating means, su antially as described.

4. In a pneumaticdispatoh system, a tube line, a valve situated in the tube line which is normally-open to secure a partial flow of airthroughthe line, means operable by obstruction of the partial airflow in the line to increase the opening of the valve, and a device responsive to the movementof air in the line for controlling said means, substantially asv described.

5. In a pneumatic dispatch system, a

lnally open valve situated in the suction 'line,*me ans which'is constructed. and

7. In a pneumatic dispatch system, atubc line, a valve situated in the tube line, a diaphragm casing, a diaphragm within the casing operatively connected to the valve which is constructed and arranged to respond to variations in pressure in the line to move the valve toward and away from its seat, and an adjustable screw in a wall of the casing which is adapted to be Set to prevent the diaphragm from completely closing the valve, thereby normally to secure a partial flowof air through the line, substantially as described.

8. In a pneumatic dispatch system, a tube line, a valve situated in the tube line, a main diaphragm operatively connected with the-valve, an auxiliarydiaphragm associated with the main dia hragm, which is constructed and arrange" to respond to 'the pressure conditions in the line to ef .phragm, from completely closing the-tube line whereby normally to secure a partial now of air through the line, substantially as described.

9. In a pneumatic dispatch system, a tube line, a normally open valve situated in the f tube line, means for holding the valve in thenormally open position, a main diaphragm connected with the valve and which is responsive to decrease of pressure in the tube line for increasing the opening of the valve, an auxiliary diaphragm associated with ti e main diaphragm, and a regulator for. controlling; theopeation of said auxad main diaphragmh, including a ans situated in the tube line, which the, substantially dc- 'disoatch system, a

uated by the'movement tube line, a valve situated in the tube line, a diaphragm cash? a. diaphragm Within the casing, operative connected to the valve and constructed ano. arranged to respond to variations in pressure in the line to move the valve toward and away from its seat, and adjustable means adapted positively to.

,prem ent the, diaphragm from completely closmg the i alve, thereby normally to se- .Cure :1, partiel flow of air'through the line 10 substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM HENRY DINSPEL. 

